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Raleigh, N.C. — The construction company responsible for the delayed U.S. Highway 401 Bypass in Rolesville has been barred from bidding on any new projects until work on the 6-mile route is complete.

Michigan-based DeVere Construction Co. started building the bypass around the town's south side three years ago.

It was initially scheduled to be complete in July, but weather delays moved the due date to September. Most recently, that date was pushed back until at least December.

"We invoke bid restrictions to limit the amount of new projects that contractor would be able to get so that they can focus their resources to completing the projects they have," Lamar Sylvester, a roadway construction engineer for the North Carolina Department of Transportation, said Friday.

Last year, he said, DeVere fell significantly behind on a bypass project in Sanford. That prompted the DOT to limit the projects the company could bid on to those valued under $5 million.

With construction 32 percent behind schedule on the Rolesville bypass – as of July – the DOT removed DeVere from the state's list of pre-qualified contractors.

The bypass project isn't the only one the company is working on. It has 14 others under construction.

"They do have several projects that have fallen behind schedule," Sylvester said.

DeVere did not return calls seeking comment Friday. It can re-apply to be reinstated as a qualified contractor once the Rolesville project is complete.